SỞ GD&ĐT
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ĐỀ ĐỀ XUẤT
KỲ THI CHỌN HSG LỚP 12 - THPT NĂM HỌC 2013- 2014
ĐỀ THI MÔN: TIẾNG ANH
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PART I: VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR. (7, 0 POINTS)
I. Choose the best option to complete each of the sentences. (2,0 points)
1. The strike was ___ owing to a last minute agreement with the management.
A. called off B. broken up C. set back D. put down
2. Lindsay’s excuses for being late are beginning to ___ rather thin.
A. get B. turn C. wear D. go
3. ___ the people who come to this club are in their twenties and thirties.
A. By and large B. Altogether C. To a degree D. Virtually
4. My cousin was nervous about being interviewed on television, but she rose to the ___ wonderfully.
A. event B. performance C. incident D. occasion
5. The train service has been a ___ since they introduced the new schedules.
A. shambles B. rumpus C. chaos D. fracas
6. Is an inexperienced civil servant ___ to the task of running the company.
A. capable B. skilled C. eligible D. suited
7. We ___ have been happier in those days.
A. can’t B. couldn’t C. might not D. must not
8. You’ve lived in the city for most of your life, so ___ you’re used to the noise.
A. apparently B. presumably C. allegedly D. predictably
9. The storm ripped our tent to ___
A. slices B. shreds C. strips D. specks
10. He ____ so much harm on the nation during his regime that it has never fully recovered.
A. indicted B. inferred C. induced D. inflicted
11. Hotel rooms must be ____ by 10 a. m, but luggage may be left with porters.
A. vacated B. evacuated C. abandoned D. left
12. I do not think there is so much as a ____ of truth in that rumor.

Black widows bite only if they are touched or their web is threatened. Furthermore, only the adult female is
poisonous. Those most at risk from the female are the spider’s natural pray-insects-and male black widow spiders. The
latter are vulnerable as the female is ___ (5. SOLITUDE) by nature, and has been known to kill and eat the male after
mating. Such ___ (6. OCCUR) are rare, but they explain how the spider got its name – and its reputation.
Nevertheless, the ___ (7. PLEASE) effects of this spider’s bite should not be ___ (8. ESTIMATE), and if you live
in a temperate climate and have a fireplace in your home, it is advisable to take ___ (9. CAUTION). Black widow
spiders often inhabit wood piles, so you should wear gloves when handling firewood. Furthermore, since black widow
spiders are ___ (10. RESIST) to many insecticides, you should regularly clean out likely hiding places.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
III. Complete each sentence with the correct form of ONE of the two-word verbs. (2, 0 point)
bring out do up slow down save up hang over
mix up grow up go with dress up run for
1. Silence ___the theatre as the audience awaited the opening curtain with expectation and excitement.
2. Having seen a sharp bend ahead, Tim pressed hard on the brake pedal to ___.
3. Charles Dickens was born near Portsmouth, Hampshire on 7 February 1812, but relocated to and ___ in Camden
Town in London.
4. Barrack Obama has decided to ___ the American presidency in the election that will take place next year.
5. Because I hate ___ my shoes, I have bought a pair of shoes without any laces.
6. Sarah wanted to buy some curtains that would ___ his furniture, so she had brought a photo of her sofa with her to
the store.
7. Kate had been ___ in order to buy a new laptop, but then she decided to use the money on the guitar lessons
instead.
8. Even though two of the bands are dead, a new ‘The Beatle’ album called Love was recently ___.
9. Brendan was worried about having to ___ for the boss’ retirement dinner as he didn’t own any formal clothes.
10. He ___ his grandmother’s phone number with his girlfriend’s, which led to some embarrassment for him.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

II. Read the text and do the tasks as follow. (2, 0 points) OUT OF THE ASHES
Paragraph A
On the afternoon of 30
th
August 1989, fire broke out at Uppark, a large eighteenth century house in Sussex.
For a year builders had been replacing the lead on the roof, and by a stroke of irony, were due to finish the next day,
on August 31
st
. Within fifteen minutes of the alarm being sounded, the fire brigade had arrived on the scene, though
nothing was to survive of the priceless collection on the first floor apart from an oil painting of a dog which the
firemen swept up as they finally retreated from the blaze. But due to the courage and swift action of the previous
owners, the Meade-Featherstonhaugh family, and the staff, stewards and visitors to the house, who formed human
chains to pass the precious pieces of porcelain, furniture and paintings out on to the lawn, 95 percent of the contents
from the ground floor and the basement were saved. As the fire continued to rage, the National Trust’s conservators
were being mobilised, and that evening local stationers were especially opened to provide the bulk supplies of
blotting paper so desperately needed in the salvage operation.
Paragraph B
The following morning, Uppark stood open to the sky. A sludge of wet charcoal covered the ground floor and
basement, and in every room charred and fallen timbers lay amongst the smoke. It was a scene of utter devastation.
Paragraph C
After the initial sense of shock, the days which followed the fire were filled with discoveries. Helped by
volunteers, the National Trust’s archaeologists and conservators swung into action, first of all marking the site out into
a grid and then salvaging everything down to the last door handle. The position of each fragment was recorded, and
all the debris was stored in countless dustbins before being sifted and categorised.
Paragraph D
There was great excitement as remnants of the lantern from the Staircase Hall were pulled out from the
debris of two fallen floors, and also three weeks later when the Red Room carpet, thought to have been totally lost,
was found wrapped around the remains of a piano. There was a lucky reprieve for the State Bed too. Staff who had
left the scene at 3 a.m on the night of the fire had thought its loss was inevitable, but when they returned the next
morning it had escaped largely undamaged. Firemen, directed by the National Trust’s conservators from outside the

after the fire. The National Trust has done its best to remain true to Uppark; it is for others to judge the success of the
project. Note: The National Trust is a charitable organisation in Britain set up over a hundred years ago to preserve the
national heritage.
Questions 1–6. The text has eight paragraphs, A–H. Which paragraphs contain the following information? Write the
appropriate letters, A–H, in the boxes.
1. The procedure for sorting through the remains of the fire.
2. How Uppark looked after the fire.
3. Improvements made to the rebuilt Uppark.
4. The selection of people to carry out the repair work.
5. Why the National Trust chose to rebuild Uppark.
6. How people reacted to the rebuilt Uppark.
Questions 8–10. Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each
answer. Write your answers in the boxes.
7. On what date in 1989 should the original repairs to the roof have been completed?
8. By what method were things rescued immediately from the burning house?
9. After the fire, what did the conservators require large quantities of immediately?
10. Into what did the conservators put material recovered from the fire?
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
III. Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) to each question. Write your answer in the
numbered box. (2, 0 points)
A recent survey of crime statistics shows that we are all more likely to be burgled now than 20 years ago and
the police advise everyone to take a few simple precautions to protect their homes.
The first fact is that burglars and other intruders prefer easy opportunities, like a house which is very obviously
empty. This is much less of a challenge than an occupied house, and one which is well-protected. A burglar will wonder
if it is worth the bother.
There are some general tips on how to avoid your home becoming another crime statistic. Avoid leaving signs
that your house is empty. When you have to go out, leave at least one light on as well as a radio or television, and do
not leave any curtains wide open. The sight of your latest music centre or computer is enough to tempt any burglar.

5. The phrase “aforementioned precautions” in paragraph 5 refers to steps that …………
A. will tell a burglar if your house is empty or not.
B. are the most important precautions to take to make your home safe. C. will stop a potential burglar.
D. will not stop an intruder if he has decided to try and enter your home.
6. Gaining entry to a house through a small window …………
A. is surprisingly difficult. B. is not as difficult as people think.
C. is less likely to happen than gaining entry through a door. D. is tried only by very determined burglars.
7. According to the writer, window locks, security locks and burglar alarms …………
A. cost a lot of money but are worth it. B. are good value for money.
C. are luxury items. D. are absolutely essential items.
8. The writer argues that fitting a chain and an eye hole…………
A. will prevent your home being burgled. B. avoids you having to invite people into your home.
C. is only necessary for elderly people. D. gives you time to check if the visitor is genuine.
9. What word best replaces “scrutinise” in paragraph 7?
A. glance B. gaze C. search D. examine
10. The best title for the text is ………… A. Increasing household crime. B. Protecting your home from intruders.
C. Burglary statistics. D. What to do if a burglar breaks into your home.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
PART III. WRITING. (4,0 POINTS)
I. Complete each of the sentences so that it has similar meaning to the given one, using the word given in bold. Do
NOT change the form of the word given. (1, 0 point)
1. Although Joe kept on attempting to contact his cousin, he didn't manage to speak to her until the next day. →
Despite repeated TOUCH his cousin, Joe didn't manage to speak to her until the next day.
2. When it comes to computer games, Jack is a real expert. CONCERNED
→ As far , Jack is a real expert.
3. David said that the accident was his fault. TOOK
→ David the accident.
4. If he doesn’t get that job, who knows what he’ll do. KNOWING

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BY ĐỖ BÌNH – THPT LIẾN SƠN, LẬP THẠCH, VĨNH PHÚC www.violet.vn/quocbinh72
0-14 years
15-59 years
60+ years
50,1%
3,6%
46,3%
37,0%
5,7%
57,3%
24,1%
14,3%
61,6%
46,2%
42,3%
11,5%
2000

18. D 0.1 p
19. D 0.1 p
20. A 0.1 p
II. Read the passage
below. Use the word
given in bold to form a
word that fits in the
numbered gap. (2,5
points)
1. misconception 0.25 p
2. venomous 0.25 p
3. comparison 0.25 p
4. fatalities 0.2 5p
5. solitary 0.2 5p
6. occurences 0.2 5p
7. unpleasant 0.25 p
8. underestimated 0.25 p
9. precautions 0.25 p
10. resistant 0.2 5p
III. Complete each
1. hung over 0.2 p
2. slow down 0.2 p
3. grew up 0.2 p
4. run for 0.2 p
5. doing up 0.2 p
6. go with 0.2 p
7. saving up 0.2 p
8. brought out 0.2 p
9. dress up 0.2 p
10. mixed up 0.2 p

8. let 0.2 p
9. that/this 0.2 p
10. how 0.2 p
II. Read the text and
do the tasks as follow.
(2,0 points)
1. C 0.2 p
2. B 0.2 p
3. G 0.2 p
4. F 0.2 p
5. E 0.2 p
6. H 0.2 p
7. August 31
st
0.2 p
8. human chain 0.2 p
9. blotting paper 0.2 p
10. dustbins 0.2 p
III. Read the following
passage and choose
the best answer (A, B,
C or D) to each
question. (2,0 points)
1. A
0.2 p
2. D
0.2 p
3. A
0.2 p
4. A

what he’ll do.
0.2 p
5. But [for the ingenuity of his brother’s] plan,
the stranded climber would never have been
rescued.
0.2 p
II. Use the word given
and make any
necessary additions to
complete a new
sentence . (1,0 point)
1. John will stand trial murder at the High Court
next week.
0.2 p
2. How do our sales stand in relation to those of
other firms?
0.2 p
3. There has been a steady decline in the number
of accidents since the speed limit was imposed.
0.2 p
4. There is no doubt that this new record will sell
a lot of copies.
0.2 p
5. My changing my mind about resigning is out of 0.2 p
BY ĐỖ BÌNH – THPT LIẾN SƠN, LẬP THẠCH, VĨNH PHÚC www.violet.vn/quocbinh72
question.
III. Summarize the
information by
selecting and reporting
the main features and